McElroy/Hewner 9301576 This project investigates eldercare from the perspective of household members most involved in health care in two communities in rural western New York. The Amish are a group that has preserved traditional values in the midst of modern America. In the course of ethnographic fieldwork, Amish families will be compared to a matched set of "English" (non-Amish, as the Amish use the word) families. Comparative ethnographic interviewing in the two neighboring communities under natural conditions will serve to evaluate the contribution of a number of variables on eldercare. A sample of informants who have experience in eldercare will be identified through a census of twenty-five Amish and twenty-five "English" households. Data collected will include genealogies, a grid of significant household members, information on aging and its impact, and ratings (by the researcher) of overall household health and individual functional ability. A nested sample will be selected for in-depth interview and participant/observation of current and past experiences in caregiving. Quantitative analysis of demographic data and health rating will complement qualitative analysis of life history of caregiving. The results will identify household practices which contribute to improved care of the elderly, with application in intervention strategies for policy-makers. *** s( t( ! ! f ? x x L Times New Roman Symbol & Arial & Lucida Sans Bookman Old Style v v v " h r j mcelroy hewner abstract abstract thesis mcelroy hewner abstract Raymond Hames Raymond Hames
